Taksal Against Kirtan By Women

[Baldeep Singh]

Taksal against kirtan by women in Golden Temple

Amritsar, August 17

The Damdami Taksal, yesterday outrightly rejected the proposal for allowing the baptised women to perform “kirtan” inside the Harmandir Sahib, the sanctum sanctorum of Golden Temple.

The Damdami Taksal’s resolve to oppose this move was also supported by the Sant Samaj, a conglomerate of Sikh preachers headed by Baba Sarbjot Singh Bedi, at a function here on the occasion of the death anniversary of Sant Kartar Singh Bhindrawale.

It may be recalled that the SGPC had last week taken the decision to allow women to perform “kirtan” inside the Harmandir Sahib. The decision had been taken at a meeting of the SGPC’s Religious Advisory Board.

It was observed at the board’s meeting that the Akal Takht would have a final verdict on the proposal of allowing “amritdhari” (baptised) Sikh women to perform “kirtan” inside the Harmandir Sahib.

At yesterday’s convention at the Damdami Taksal headquarters at Chowk Mehta near here, four granthis of the SGPC, Jaswant Singh, Mal Singh, Jatinder Singh and Jagtar Singh, also gave their support to the Damdami Taksal’s viewpoint against the women’s performance of “kirtan” in the Harmandir Sahib.

The Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, is scheduled to summon a meeting of the Singh Sahibs and after detailed discussions the final decision on the “kirtan” would be pronounced which would be binding on the Sikh community.

The Dharam Prachar Committee, while taking the decision, had announced that the baptised Sikh women who fulfilled a set “code of conduct” could approach the SGPC authorities to perform “kirtan sewa” at the Harmandir Sahib. — UNI